Tag: Books

December Reading Wrapup

Well into January and I’m only just finding time to share my final reading wrapup of 2025.

One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Kicked off my December reading with a Sarah Morgan book about a successful woman who has been estranged from her adult daughters, Samantha and Ella, for the last five years. An accident at work forces her to reflect on her choices, and she invites herself to spend Christmas with her daughters who happen to be visiting an estate in the Scottish Highlands for Christmas. I love how relatable Sarah Morgan’s female characters are, they’re all navigating something like grief, estrangement, motherhood, secrets, regret and trying to be more authentic, but the romantic subplot was the weakest part for me.

It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square by Ali McNamara

This is the story of Elle who finds her way to a Georgian house home to two eccentric women, Estelle and her housekeeper, who want to employ her to write Estelle’s family history. There’s a fair bit of magic realism in this one, but as much as I loved glimpses of Estelle’s family history and the ripple effects that one person can have on the world around them, I didn’t like the love-at-first-sight romance between Elle and Ben, and the almost flippant references to addiction, adoption and AIDS as plot devices.

Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

Started the year by listening to Katherine May’s autobiographical account of late diagnosis of autism, and by strange coincidence ended the year by listening to Scottish comedian Fern Brady’s account of being diagnosed in adulthood too. It’s a fascinating insight into sexist biases in the medical profession that lead to women being late diagnosed or misdiagnosed with other disorders, in Fern’s case anxiety and OCD. I really enjoyed this view into an autistic woman’s lived experience and it ended up being one of my favourite reads of the year.

A Highland Christmas by MC Beaton

This was an impulse purchase that turned out to be my favourite Christmas read so far. This seems to be a bit of anomaly in a murder mystery series as instead of a death, PC Hamish MacBeth finds himself conducting enquiries into the theft of a town Christmas tree and lights, and the disappearance of a pet cat. Thoroughly enjoyed this humorous tale of grumpy, superstitious, gossiping folk the Scottish Highlands reluctantly finding some Christmas cheer and community spirit.

Greenwild by Pari Thomas

I actually started Greenwild over a year ago but put it down for a while. I wanted to love this middlegrade fantasy adventure about a secret world of botany and magic, but it didn’t quite work for me. Greenwild follows a girl called Daisy whose mother goes missing and her determination to find her mother leads her into a hidden world of plants. There are some really poignant moments about grief and some pertinent commentary on environmental issues, but overall I found the pace of this quite slow in places.

Have a lovely week! X

❄️ November Reading Wrapup 📚

Currently recovering from an infection that has floored me and my youngest for the past week or so, and thought I’d share my November reading wrapup.

Good Inside by Dr Becky Kennedy

Good Inside is one of the best parenting books I’ve read, packed full of wisdom and evidence-based research, which reminds parents that we should be more invested in building a positive relationship with our children than policing their behaviour. I didn’t agree with everything in the book but this was accessible, relatable and informative, with specific chapters on the most common parenting problems and a lot of information about child development, self regulation for parents and building a secure attachment with your child.

Keeper of the Night by Kylie Lee Baker

A dark YA fantasy inspired by Japanese folklore about a half English reaper and half Japanese shinigami who fits into neither world trying to accept her unique identity and purpose in life. Although this is an epic quest, the focus is very much about what she’s willing to do and sacrifice in order to fit in. This was dark and gory but really unique, and I’m looking forward to picking up the final part of the duology to find out how the story concludes.

The Girl Who Raced the World by Nat Harrison

I’m not usually a fan of retellings, but this was such a lovely trip down memory lane for me as I adored the cartoon of Around the World in 80 Days as a child. The Girl Who Raced the World follows young orphan Maggie Appleton as she finds herself on a wild adventure with Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout as they race around the world to win a bet pursued by Detective Fix who happens to be investigating a bank robbery that occurred the same day Fogg set out on his journey. This was so heartwarming, touching on themes of grief, family and friendship, but really capturing the mystery of the bank robbery and the and urgency of their voyage. I enjoyed this so much that it had me digging out an old copy of the original by Jules Verne to read.

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club has become something of a comfort series that I dip into when life feels hectic. The characters are what make this cosy mystery series so unique, and I love returning to the aging amateur sleuths at Coopers Chase retirement village and their younger police and criminal friends. The mystery they take it upon themselves to investigate is a great little workout for the old grey matter with money laundering and a murder to solve, but a few clever red herrings.

Juniper’s Christmas by Eoin Colfer

This festive middlegrade adventure is set ten years after Santa Claus mysteriously stops delivering presents to children around the world, and two years after little Juniper Lane’s father passed away. Elves from the North Pole are desperately seeking Santa before his magic runs out forever, a criminal mastermind decides to steal Santa’s magical artifacts in order to turn Christmas into a profiteering racket, a mysterious benefactor is helping the homeless people that live in a London park and Juniper is desperately seeking her mother who goes missing just before Christmas. I’m not sure what I was expecting from this but it touches on so many themes of grief and loss, greed and generosity, love and hope, and was a lovely, moving story to ease into the festive season.

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams

An absolutely fascinating insight into the working culture of Facebook revealing at first American-centric naivity to global politics and legislation, and then a callous indifference to real world violence and shrewd profit driven focus to the insecurities that Facebook could cause. It was particularly interesting to see the friction between tech and business management during the early years, an insight into the workaholic culture and outrageous expectations from managers with Sarah still sending emails while giving birth, and seriously considering being arrested by a foreign government. It’s not surprising that Zuckerberg tried so hard to prevent this book reaching the public because it paints an unflattering view of both him and Sheryl Sanberg. Yet it also offers insight into how Facebook could’ve been an incredible force for connection and community if Zuckerberg and his colleagues hadn’t prioritised profit and power.

What have you read lately? X

October Reading Wrapup

Halloween, Bonfire night and our youngest’s third birthday means I’m only just finding time to share my October reading wrapup.

Genocide Bad by Sim Kern

I’ve followed Sim Kern, a Jewish anti-zionist writer on Instagram for a while and waited for the audiobook release because I find them such a compelling speaker. This book examines various arguments that Zionist Hasbara uses to justify the apartheid, colonisation and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. This was absolutely fascinating as Sim describes their own experiences of anti-semitism, explores the history of anti-semitism and anti-Jewish hatred in Europe. They also humourously explain why ancient religious texts shouldn’t be used to settle land disputes. More than anything, Genocide Bad reminds the reader not to get drawn into arguments about deference politics, what aboutism or anything else that attempts to distract from the fact that genocide against any group of people is never justified.

As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa Katouh

This story follows a Syrian 19 year old pharmacy student Salama, who finds herself treating wounded civilians and soldiers at a hospital in the War-torn city of Homs during the Syrian revolution. As Long As The Lemon Tree Grows doesn’t shy away from describing the cruelty and brutality of Assad’s regime, the death, destruction and trauma caused by the civil war. The story also describes the difficulty deciding whether to stay in their beloved land or attempt the perilous journey to Europe in search of safety all refugees make. Among the rubble and heartache, Salama finds love, and the gentle, chaste romance in this story offers such sweet contrast to the darkness of the setting. Another book that will definitely be in my end of year favourites that I highly recommend.

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

I first read His Dark Materials over twenty years ago and remember being captivated by the story and worlds Pullman created, my husband and I started watching the BBC adaption last Christmas and finally finished in October, just in time to start reading this. La Belle Sauvage is a prequel to Northern Lights explaining how Lyra came to be raised at Jordan College in Oxford. It’s a thrilling adventure about a boy called Malcolm and the daring voyage he makes in his canoe during a great flood to prevent baby Lyra from falling into the hands of the Magisterium or the mysterious man with the hyena daemon pursuing them. I loved being back in this setting and can’t wait to read the next part of The Book of Dust trilogy.

A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison

A middlegrade story about three sisters who live under a curse that prevents the from leaving their island, and the three enchanted items they inherit that give them magical abilities. The sisters race against the clock as they attempt to break the curse and correct an old injustice. This was a fun adventure with themes of family, justice and helping others.

A Warlock In Whitby by Robin Jarvis

I read The Whitby Witches (reviewed here) a few years ago, and finally found secondhand copies of the other two parts of the trilogy. The Whitby Witches had some genuinely creepy moments, although this one was less atmospheric it did cover some disturbing topics such as bullying and forced marriage. I enjoyed this as it was full of tension and action and I’m looking forward to finding out how the trilogy concludes in The Whitby Child.

Have a lovely week. X

August Reading Wrapup

A short and belated reading wrapup. August was a really hectic month with a couple of birthday parties, a wedding and my oldest daughter starting primary school, plus a whole lot of work chaos, which really didn’t leave much time or headspace for reading. I DNF’d two books but thoroughly enjoyed the two books I did manage to read/listen to.

Storm Child by Ele Fountain

I picked up Storm Child from the library because it was on the longlist for the Wainwright’s Children’s Fiction prize, and I was genuinely disappointed it didn’t make the shortlist. The story follows Maya, a talented teenage surfer, whose family are struggling financially, when disaster strikes her parents make a life changing decision to start over halfway across the world. This is such a lovely, engaging coming of age story about adapting to change, friendship, learning that sometimes adults don’t have all the answers, and the impact of tourism on people, places and nature.

Small Talk by Richard Pink and Rox Pink

I’ve followed Roxanne and Richard Pink’s humorous and relatable instagram account for a while but both their books have blindsided me with their insight into the shame and sense of failure that living with ADHD causes. Small Talk explores some of the most common negative self beliefs that ADHDers may hold from “I’m lazy/stupid/useless” to addiction and suicidal ideation. I found this book incredibly compassionate, relatable and helpful as both someone living with ADHD and as the partner of another ADHDer.

Have a lovely week. X

June Reading Wrapup

Life has been really hectic lately, and I’ve really appreciated escaping into stories at the end of long, busy days.

The City of Stolen Magic by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak

This is the story of a young girl, Chompa, who has powerful magic that she struggles to control. When Chompa’s mum is abducted by British colonizers, she must undertake a daring adventure to rescue her. I loved this historical fantasy adventure with fascinating contrasts between the locations in India and London. This also has some really interesting but age appropriate insights into racism, colonisation and exploitation, and I really enjoyed some of the ideas explored in this story, like great power comes at a price and rebels attempting to democratize magic. Really looking forward to seeing where the next installment takes brave Chompa and her loyal friends.

The Morrigan by Kim Curran

When I was about seven, my primary teacher read The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O’Shea to our class, it was my introduction to celtic mythology and fantasy, and I’ve been fascinated by both ever since. I found this in the library and couldn’t resist returning to find out more about the shapeshifting goddess of war. This retelling of Irish mythology starts with the arrival of the Tuatha De to Ireland and runs right through to the defeat of the warrior Cuchulain. I was gripped by this howling tale of female rage and revenge, love and loss, and it’s easily one of the most gripping books I’ve read this year.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This series of essays by a botanist who also happens to be of indigenous descent has been on my radar for a while and it did not disappoint. There were parts of this book that were just so refreshing and comforting to read, like the ideas around gifts, reciprocity and symbiotic relationships in nature, and about the relationship between Earth and humans. Braiding Sweetgrass is quite a long book but such an interesting mix of topics like botany, nature, history, colonisation, indigenous culture, environmental issues and parenthood that I really enjoyed listening to over a couple of months.

Wildlands by Brogen Murphy

Set in 2050, this is about two children, Astrid and Indie, who accidentally fall out of a train running between Manchester and Glasgow and into a section of Britain that has been depopulated of humans and rewilded with beavers, bison, wolves, bears and lynx. The map at the start made me laugh out loud because the area that becomes the wildlands in the story is where I was born and grew up in the South West of Scotland. Wildlands is a tense and thrilling survival adventure as the sisters try to make their way out of the Wildlands to safety and considers whether humans can truly ever live in harmony with nature.

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa

A short slice of life novel by the writer of The Travelling Cat Chronicles (reviewed here) about the chance encounters of passengers travelling on the Hankyu Line train. The story follows how these seemingly random interactions end up changing the course of the characters’ lives from fledgling romances to break ups and new beginnings. This was such a sweet and gentle story that was so easy and pleasant to dip into at the end of a busy day.

Halfway through the year and halfway towards my target as I’ve read (and listened to) 25/50.

Have a lovely week! X

April and May Reading wrapup

I was in a reading slump through April and May so combining my monthly wrapups.

The Burning God by R. F. Kuang

I finally plucked up the nerve to read the final part of The Poppy War trilogy, and returned to this brilliant fantasy inspired by modern Chinese history. I normally avoid grimdark fantasy and this trilogy really captures the horror of war, colonialism and dehumanisation, but the protagonist, Rin is utterly fascinating, she’s ruthless, determined, pragmatic and ambitious, and I just had to know how it ended. The ending itself was foreshadowed from the first book and repeatedly through the final book, and yet I still wasn’t prepared for it, and it hit me like a sledgehammer. The Poppy War trilogy is easily one of the darkest but gripping and original fantasy trilogies I’ve ever read.

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Message is a really compelling book about the duty of writers and journalists to inspire, inform and educate readers about white supremacy, colonialism and systems of oppression in the age of censorship, misinformation and propaganda. The book has attracted some criticism and controversy as Ta-Nehisi Coates uses his visits to Israel and occupied Palestine to demonstrate how a victim can become an oppressor, and described what he saw as apartheid and colonialism. He could arguably have used the conflicts in Sudan or the exploitation of people and resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo as examples, but he uses Israel and Palestine instead because he accepted the narrative that Israel was given to the Jewish people as reparations for the Holocaust without ever questioning it or using critical thinking, and he uses The Message to repudiate his own article ‘The Case for Reparations’ originally published in the Atlantic. I thoroughly enjoyed The Message, but I wanted more.

Boy Everywhere by A. M. Dasu

This is a middlegrade story that follows 13 year old Sami who is forced to flee his home in Damascus when the Syrian civil war reached the city. Boy Everywhere describes his family’s desperate journey from Syria to England as they attempt to find safety and start a new life. This was an extremely tense and sad story in places, but also one that reminds the reader to be kind to others because it’s so easy to judge people without knowing what they’ve been through. Boy Everywhere doesn’t shy away from describing the bombings and horrors the family fled, the risks of the journey from crossing the mediterranean sea to being squashed into a van with other refugees and asylum seekers, the dehumanisation and bureaucracy at the detention centre, and the prejudice that migrants face when they finally reach the UK. This was such a poignant, gripping and hopeful story.

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue

Set in a fictional African village, this tells the story of the villagers whose land, water and children are poisoned by a nearby oil refinery. Frustrated by the broken promises of clean up and financial compensation from the American oil company and the indifference of their corrupt government and violent dictator, the story follows what happens when the villagers finally start fighting back. This story covers some heavy topics such as slavery, colonialism and environmental destruction, but also balanced by family, community, education and survival.

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Sower was one of my favourite reads last year, and I didn’t want to wait too long before picking up the sequel to find out how the Earth Seed duology ends. Set in the very near future where climate breakdown has caused societal collapse across America, this book feels eerily prescient in places as Octavia E. Butler predicts the rise of militant Christian evangelicals and a President who promises to “Make America Great Again”. Meanwhile the protagonist, Lauren Olamina, is still trying to build her own religion ‘Earth Seed’ and secure the future of humanity by colonising space, but this is very much dystopian fiction rather than science fiction. This story does have some pretty dark moments and I would definitely check the content warnings before reading, but I really appreciated themes of education, community and resilience that also run through this story.  

March Reading Wrapup 📚

I had great plans for #middlegrademarch but I experienced my first reading slump and it ended up being a slower month than expected.

Amari and The Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

This is a fantastic middlegrade novel about Amari Peters, a young black girl, investigating the mysterious disappearance of her older brother. Amari’s  investigations lead her to the Board of Supernatural Affairs, a clandestine boarding school and ministry for supernatural creatures and people with supernatural powers, where she discovers that she possesses powers beyond her wildest imaginings. This was such a gripping and fun read that really felt like a much more modern and inclusive Harry Potter, that explores race and prejudice, and I was rooting for Amari the whole way. This is the first part in a trilogy and I’m really looking forward to seeing where Amari’s adventures and investigations take her next.

The Hunt for the Golden Scarab by M. G. Leonard

I’d enjoyed Ice Children by M.G Leonard last year, and spotted this at my library after seeing it all over instagram. The Hunt for the Golden Scarab is the first book in the Time Keys duology following Sim, his enigmatic mother and his cousin, Jeopardy, who discover they can use music to open doors to the past and embark on an adventure to stop a rival faction of time travellers from acquiring a valuable and powerful artefact from the Egyptian Pharoahs. I found there was quite a bit of exposition describing how music can facilitate time travel, but this was a really fun adventure.

Crookhaven: The Island Heist by J. J. Arcanjo

The Crookhaven series have quickly become one of my favourite comfort reads combining daring heists with found family and friendship. Crookhaven is such a unique series, offering a fresh twist on the boarding school setting of so many children’s books, switching classes in art, P.E and computing classes for forgery, criminastics and hacking. I also really appreciate that in an ocean of ‘chosen one’ stories, this series promotes friendship and teamwork as the group of exceptional young thieves, hackers, athletes and forgers combine their skills to thwart their enemies and undertake heists.

Now It All Makes Sense by Alex Partridge

Alex Partridge was already a successful entrepreneur when he discovered that he had ADHD and has subsequently started a successful podcast interviewing various celebrities with ADHD and psychiatrists and psychologists who specialise in ADHD, and I found this book to be compassionate, relatable and humorous. My only gripe is that there’s two chapters on romantic relationships and I would have liked one on maintaining friendships as well as this is an area where I struggle, and there’s quite a lot of advice for those seeking to become entrepreneurs, which may work for some people, but is not a realistic option for everyone. There’s a good mix of personal experiences, research and practical advice in here, but I will always vehemently disagree with Alex about using the dishwasher as an extra cupboard!

Have a lovely week! X

February reading wrap

Life lately has been hectic but still very much enjoying escaping into a book at the end of a busy day.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

I started reading this back in December 2023 and finally finished it in February 2025. I adored the Scholomance trilogy but I’ve been underwhelmed by Naomi Novik’s other works, and came very close to giving up on this because it was so slow paced and the story is narrated by too many characters. Spinning Silver is an intriguing story about a Jewish money lender who can turn silver to gold and a Duke’s plain daughter, a winter king and a fire demon, peasants and a Tsar, and how we are all pawns in someone else’s games.

The Winners by Fredrik Backman

The final part of the Beartown trilogy really brings the story full circle with a parallel to another family from the same town dealing with a similar tragedy to the first book. This had a slow start, and is full of parallels, but I loved catching up with characters from the first two books and getting to know some new characters too. As ever small town politics, family relationships and community are at the centre of this story about ice hockey. This is such a bittersweet ending to the trilogy (an ending foreshadowed right from the start of Beartown) with a little bit of romance, conflict and rivalry, grief, bravery and heroism.

A Haunting in the Arctic by C. J. Cooke

An eerie and atmospheric story that follows the daughter of a whaling ship owner travelling through the Arctic in 1901 and an explorer who visits the shipwreck beached in Iceland in 2023. There’s a twist at the end, but the ending itself seemed rushed and anti-climatic as having been pitched as a tale of trauma and revenge, it switches to one of healing, which while worthy felt a bit dissatisfying. Nevertheless, this was gripping, atmospheric and haunting.

We Are Not Here to be Bystanders by Linda Larsour

A thoroughly engaging memoir of a Muslim Palestinian-American Community organiser. This describes the formative personal experiences and socio-political context that shaped Linda Larsour from growing up in multicultural Brooklyn and spending summers visiting her family in the West Bank, to being Muslim in America after 9/11, racial profiling of Arab, black and Latinx men, and police brutality. A fascinating insight into the immigrant/ethnic minority experience in the USA, including accessing heath care and education, motherhood, racism, and building community. This was on par with Michelle Obama’s Becoming, and as someone feeling a bit burned out after a decade in social care, I really appreciated the reminder about how much can be achieved at a local level, and how to build resilience and community.

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

A short but poignant Japanese story of a pancake chef trying to pay off a debt who meets an old woman who makes the best sweet bean paste filling he’s ever tasted. This is a story about the intrinsic value of life, and about second chances, lost chances and last chances.

Have a lovely week. X

January reading wrapup

My reading year is off to a good start as I read six books in January, which were a mix of current interests and easy, escapist reads.

The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson

An enchanting story of family curses, the power of stories, found families and self-acceptance. Yanka, bigger and stronger, than other people in the village, struggles to fit in and wonders about her identity, she runs away to find out who she really is, chasing the fairy tales she heard through her childhood. This is a wonderful tale of identity, found family, friendship, self-acceptance and the difference between fitting in and belonging.

Mornings with My Cat Mii by Mayumi Inaba

The first of two books I picked for #januaryinjapan on bookstagram, I was a bit apprehensive about reading this memoir of life with a beloved cat so soon after losing my own beloved cat, but it was a gentle book that actually reminded me of all the cats I’ve loved and cared for through my life. It particularly captutes the unique routines we fall into with our pets, the responsibility that pet ownership involves and the heartache of caring for aging pets.

The Electricity of Every Living Thing by Katherine May

Part walking journal and part neurodiversity memoir, the descriptions of walking the South Coast were wasted on me, but this was such an interesting and relatable autobiography of a woman who didn’t learn that she was autistic until her 40s and reviewing the impact it has had on her education, career, friendships, marriage and motherhood. This had a lot that I could also relate to, having only been diagnosed as an ADHDer last year at the age of 40, especially the mental health issues and misdiagnosis, social difficulties and masking in order to fit in, sensory overwhelm and the reasons for seeking late diagnosis. A very personal but relatable and affirming read.

The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle

Given that I enjoy fantasy with a strong romantic subplot, I’ve been underwhelmed by the romantasy subgenre. The Dagger and the Flame is an enemies to lovers story following Seraphine of the Thieves guild who is seeking vengeance for her mother’s murder, and Ransom, a member of the assassins guild assigned to eliminate her. I much preferred Seraphine’s personal quest and there’s some thrilling action scenes, but the romance between the leads left me cold, though the ending sets itself up perfectly for a sequel.

The Book of Disappearance by Ibtisam Azem

A short but thought provoking novel about what would happen in Israel if all the Palestinians disappeared without a trace overnight. Written in dual perspective of an Israeli Arab and a liberal zionist, it really delves into the contradictions of Israeli society such as a secular nation that claims divine right to the land, racism and colonialism, the awkward juxtaposition of old Jaffa and new Tel Aviv, and the atmosphere of fear, distrust and misunderstanding that exists between the two nations inhabiting the same land.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

This was a short, sweet and surreal story about a cafe run by talking cats that help customers identify parts of their life they want to change with astrology. The Full Moon Coffee Shop was a bit of a mixed bag because I felt it went into unnecessary detail about the character’s astrological birth charts at certain points, but I enjoyed seeing the characters grow in self-understanding and self-compassion, and starting to pursue their hopes and dreams.

Have a lovely week. X

November Reading wrapup

November was a tough month as I struggled with work stress, caring for sickly kids and finally the death of our beloved cat, and I found myself seeking out comfort reads.

The Little Christmas Library by David M. Barnett

I was drawn to this by the combination of a local mobile library (such a fond throwback to my childhood) and the father-daughter dynamic. I found it a bit too heavy handed and clichéd about Northern England, however, this turned out to be a heartwarming story about a little community that finds friendship and romance in the mobile library that serves the run down town of Merry-le-Moors. It works better as a small town drama than a festive romance, but still an easy and enjoyable read about community and the magic of libraries.

Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe

I’ve subscribed to Katharine Hayhoe’s newsletter for a while for updates about climate news, and decided I’d prefer to listen to Saving Us on audio because she’s such an engaging speaker. Saving Us is about how to talk to people about the climate crisis, and find common interests and connection, rather than devision and conflict. Hayhoe breaks down science in an informative and entertaining way, easily debunking common climate denial arguments, but also finding ways to connect things (nature, chocolate and sports) we care about to climate change. I found this to be an informative, pragmatic and hopeful book about climate change and what we can do about it.

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

I had read Anne of Green Gables a few years ago and recently found a complete set second hand. The second part of Anne Shirley’s story starts when she is 17 and starting work as a teacher at the Avonlea school she recently graduated from. Anne is such a lovable character with her boundless imagination and optimism, matched perhaps only by her propensity for embarrassing mishaps. It was lovely to return to Prince Edward Island and meet up with all the inhabitants of Avonlea again.

A Midwinter’s Tail by Lili Hayward

This book will always hold a place in my heart as the last book I read with my lovely Mara cat before she passed away, and it was such a moving and gentle story. Mina is living and working in London when she receives a cryptic message from her estranged godfather asking her to look after his cat. Mina drops everything and returns to an island off the Cornish coast to care for the cat, Murr, and begins to unpack questions about her childhood, her family and identity, and finds herself joining up with the local community to save the island from developers who want to turn it into a luxury resort. The writing itself was lyrical with beautiful descriptions. A Midwinter’s Tail was such a poignant, comfort read that had so many themes that I appreciate.

Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers by Liz Eastwood

This is a short and simple book for those grieving the loss of a beloved cat, as most books about pet grief tend to focus on dogs. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a more original or meaningful daily ritual than lighting a candle to remember your pet and that the writer didn’t go into more detail on the rise of pet mediums. This is a gentle book about grief that captures the place our pets hold in our hearts and validates the grief experience, but was lacking some of the practical steps I was hoping for to help cope with grief itself.

Have a lovely week. X